Knicks · Iman - What do you think of this pick (page 1)

Love the pick. He's got what we need. DEFENSE and freak athletic ability. He can create and finish STRONG! It appears that even his supposed weakness isn't as bad as reported. I've posted this twice, but I just think it needs to be emphasized for those who don't quite understand who we just drafted.

Hght w/o Shoes	Hght w/shoes	Wght	Wingspan   Stdng Reach	Body Fat	No Step Vert	Max Vert  B Press     Agility	3/4 Sprint
Westbrook	
6' 2.25"	6' 3.5"	        192	6' 7.75"   8' 4"	4.8	        30.0	        36.5	   12	       10.98	 3.08
Iman
6' 4.25"	6' 5.5"	        222	6' 9.5"	   8' 3.5"	6.5	        36.5	        42.0	   18	       11.10	 3.18

This kid has the goods and if MDA can tap into his mental approach, who knows what he'll be able to do with all that physical talent.

MArtin/Andrew - Can we get a sticky on this thread. Other threads are discussing Iman, but this will give us an overall opinion of what the UK board thinks about the pick.

One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

Like who? I wanted Markieff Morris but by the time we were picking the way the draft fell, I was good with anyone but Singleton.

I'll wait and see how he does before I decide.

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

He gets to the line and shoots 80%! He avg'd 6 rebounds and with his great speed he can initiate the break and even finish above the rim or get fouled, where as I said he shoots 80%. Jumpers can be improved with a little hard work. It appears that has happened already. Can't say if he is bad at running an offense but i'm sure the Knicks got all the footage they need to see how he handled running a team.

Who are these better players and what "bigger need" could they fill, considering we needed help at guard?

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

Seriously...name ONE player left on the board who filled a bigger need. Shumpert was the absolute best pick the KNicks could've made with Vucevic off the board. Even if one of the Morris twins was still around this was a better pick.

Several reasons I like this pick: D-Will, Rondo, Rose, Wade. As it stands we have no one who can sniff these guys defensively. If Iman is what he is advertised, it's a huge need filled.

Two things we absolutely need for this year: a lockdown perimeter defender to keep us from getting torched by the East's lethal frontcourts and a center to keep STAT from getting leveled night in and night out. We might be halfway there.

nixluva wrote:

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

He gets to the line and shoots 80%! He avg'd 6 rebounds and with his great speed he can initiate the break and even finish above the rim or get fouled, where as I said he shoots 80%. Jumpers can be improved with a little hard work. It appears that has happened already. Can't say if he is bad at running an offense but i'm sure the Knicks got all the footage they need to see how he handled running a team.

Who are these better players and what "bigger need" could they fill, considering we needed help at guard?

The only thing you can say about his offensive game is that he can shoot free throws. Sure, hand him the offense now!

Gymkata wrote:Several reasons I like this pick: D-Will, Rondo, Rose, Wade. As it stands we have no one who can sniff these guys defensively. If Iman is what he is advertised, it's a huge need filled.

Two things we absolutely need for this year: a lockdown perimeter defender to keep us from getting torched by the East's lethal frontcourts and a center to keep STAT from getting leveled night in and night out. We might be halfway there.

D-Will, Rondo, Rose, Wade, et al are going to enjoy the rest they're gonna get having to guard the offensively useless Shumpert.

islesfan wrote:

nixluva wrote:

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

He gets to the line and shoots 80%! He avg'd 6 rebounds and with his great speed he can initiate the break and even finish above the rim or get fouled, where as I said he shoots 80%. Jumpers can be improved with a little hard work. It appears that has happened already. Can't say if he is bad at running an offense but i'm sure the Knicks got all the footage they need to see how he handled running a team.

Who are these better players and what "bigger need" could they fill, considering we needed help at guard?

The only thing you can say about his offensive game is that he can shoot free throws. Sure, hand him the offense now!

You don't know what he can or can't do. You're just parroting what you read on some site. I trust that Donnie and Mike got a much better idea of what he can do and if Donnie liked him that much i'm assuming he believes the kid can run point while CB plays off guard and the same with TD.

by the way for those who want to see something sick. Check out this old video of Shumpert dunking at the Jordan dunk contest. Skip to about 40 seconds in and that's him, Jennings is early on in the video:

too bad there is no summer league

is there a chance we can join the orlando summer league?

nixluva wrote:

islesfan wrote:

nixluva wrote:

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

He gets to the line and shoots 80%! He avg'd 6 rebounds and with his great speed he can initiate the break and even finish above the rim or get fouled, where as I said he shoots 80%. Jumpers can be improved with a little hard work. It appears that has happened already. Can't say if he is bad at running an offense but i'm sure the Knicks got all the footage they need to see how he handled running a team.

Who are these better players and what "bigger need" could they fill, considering we needed help at guard?

The only thing you can say about his offensive game is that he can shoot free throws. Sure, hand him the offense now!

You don't know what he can or can't do. You're just parroting what you read on some site. I trust that Donnie and Mike got a much better idea of what he can do and if Donnie liked him that much i'm assuming he believes the kid can run point while CB plays off guard and the same with TD.

by the way for those who want to see something sick. Check out this old video of Shumpert dunking at the Jordan dunk contest. Skip to about 40 seconds in and that's him, Jennings is early on in the video:

Free throws and dunking ability. That's your basis for saying he's a good player offensively or that he even has a role on offense? Sheesh.

nixluva wrote:

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

He gets to the line and shoots 80%! He avg'd 6 rebounds and with his great speed he can initiate the break and even finish above the rim or get fouled, where as I said he shoots 80%. Jumpers can be improved with a little hard work. It appears that has happened already. Can't say if he is bad at running an offense but i'm sure the Knicks got all the footage they need to see how he handled running a team.

Who are these better players and what "bigger need" could they fill, considering we needed help at guard?

I understand you like the pick, but as someone who watched a lot of his NCAA games, he makes poor decisions. He is not a natural point.

If you want to talk numbers, let's focus on his 27.8 percent three point shooting on 151 attempts, 5 attempts per game. I guess he finally shot over 40 percent form the field this season at 40.6 percent.

But most telling is his points per shot. 1.22, 1.11, and 1.23 his three years at GT. Everyone loves efficiency stats on this board, and I thought it was telling that he was even least efficient when he played with the best talent.

He certainly has physical gifts, and can defend, but he lacks polish and it certainly is not a forgone conclusion that this pick will work out or that it will pay immediate dividends. His physical gifts were more of an advantage in college than they will as a pro, and he was only considered as a first round pick after working out--not for what he accomplished on a basketball court

Kid is turning 21 this weekend....still has plenty of time to develop his offensive skills under

Really like this pick. I typically don't like drafting guards that can't shoot the ball well right out of the gate but I always make an exception for elite athletes that have good size and play great defense.

I think this is a great situation for him and he can develop without being asked to do too much right out of the gate. Having watched a lot of Boston Celtics games when I was in college, one of the things I remembered was how perfect of a situation Rondo was in to develop since a lot of the attention was on the Big 3. It really allowed him to shine by just playing defense and distributing the ball. I'm obviously not saying Shumpert can be Rondo or that we need him to run this team right away, but I think he will benefit from a similar situation in that he can just focus on playing defense and rebounding (two things he said he could help with if drafted by Knicks) while developing his offensive game in practice, etc.

Considering we took him 17th, I really like the chance we took here.

s3231 wrote:Kid is turning 21 this weekend....still has plenty of time to develop his offensive skills under

Really like this pick. I typically don't like drafting guards that can't shoot the ball well right out of the gate but I always make an exception for elite athletes that have good size and play great defense.

I think this is a great situation for him and he can develop without being asked to do too much right out of the gate. Having watched a lot of Boston Celtics games when I was in college, one of the things I remembered was how perfect of a situation Rondo was in to develop since a lot of the attention was on the Big 3. It really allowed him to shine by just playing defense and distributing the ball. I'm obviously not saying Shumpert can be Rondo or that we need him to run this team right away, but I think he will benefit from a similar situation in that he can just focus on playing defense and rebounding (two things he said he could help with if drafted by Knicks) while developing his offensive game in practice, etc.

Considering we took him 17th, I really like the chance we took here.

Great points. It's something that Iman mentioned in an interview. He was at the combine and he was asked how he saw himself and he said a pure point and that he never had a dominant big and wing to pass to and lo and behold now he does. In addition to other good shooters that will surround him. This is a good situation for him to be in. It may take him some time to get it but I think he'll find it rewarding to be on a team with stars.

Isles... I have yet to see a single thing from you saying who was on the board and clearly better.

This fills a short term and long term need as an elite perimeter defender. What we also know is he is an ELITE athlete even at the NBA level, he's a smart kid and he works very hard.

"One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs."

What were Wilson Chandler's skills? 3-4 years later dudes a pretty damn good offensive player, turned into a good shot blocker, bla bla bla

If the Knicks are going to contend for a title they need this piece. Yes they still need a center and long term solution at PG but this is a good prospect.

fishmike wrote:Isles... I have yet to see a single thing from you saying who was on the board and clearly better.

This fills a short term and long term need as an elite perimeter defender. What we also know is he is an ELITE athlete even at the NBA level, he's a smart kid and he works very hard.

"One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs."

What were Wilson Chandler's skills? 3-4 years later dudes a pretty damn good offensive player, turned into a good shot blocker, bla bla bla

If the Knicks are going to contend for a title they need this piece. Yes they still need a center and long term solution at PG but this is a good prospect.

Lets hope after Shumpert clangs a few jumpers that MDA doesn't rot him on the bench its been known to happen with MDA. He like the scorers and will opt for scoring over defense.

fishmike wrote:Isles... I have yet to see a single thing from you saying who was on the board and clearly better.

This fills a short term and long term need as an elite perimeter defender. What we also know is he is an ELITE athlete even at the NBA level, he's a smart kid and he works very hard.

"One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs."

What were Wilson Chandler's skills? 3-4 years later dudes a pretty damn good offensive player, turned into a good shot blocker, bla bla bla

If the Knicks are going to contend for a title they need this piece. Yes they still need a center and long term solution at PG but this is a good prospect.

Then you haven't been looking. I did last night. Before the Knicks picked, right after they picked and again after people asked who I liked instead.

Chandler has done very well for himself developing his offensive game. I'd take a chance on a raw SF who is very athletic and has an NBA body. But a guard who has zero ability on offense is a risk too great to take for a team in the Knicks position. Like I've said, I have no doubt he can help on defense but this isn't football, he has to play offense too and from what I've read and seen, he has zero skill offensively. Doesn't that worry you even the least? Like you said, the Knicks need a long term solution at PG and this guy isn't it. They also need shooters who can spread the floor for Amare and Melo and make teams pay for doubling them. This guy isn't that either.

SupremeCommander wrote:

nixluva wrote:

islesfan wrote:One dimensional defensive player who is below average across the board on offense. Can't run an offense, makes poor decisions with the ball and can't shoot. Yes he can help with perimeter defense but he doesn't have a position on offense. There were better players who filled bigger needs.

He gets to the line and shoots 80%! He avg'd 6 rebounds and with his great speed he can initiate the break and even finish above the rim or get fouled, where as I said he shoots 80%. Jumpers can be improved with a little hard work. It appears that has happened already. Can't say if he is bad at running an offense but i'm sure the Knicks got all the footage they need to see how he handled running a team.

Who are these better players and what "bigger need" could they fill, considering we needed help at guard?

I understand you like the pick, but as someone who watched a lot of his NCAA games, he makes poor decisions. He is not a natural point.

If you want to talk numbers, let's focus on his 27.8 percent three point shooting on 151 attempts, 5 attempts per game. I guess he finally shot over 40 percent form the field this season at 40.6 percent.

But most telling is his points per shot. 1.22, 1.11, and 1.23 his three years at GT. Everyone loves efficiency stats on this board, and I thought it was telling that he was even least efficient when he played with the best talent.

He certainly has physical gifts, and can defend, but he lacks polish and it certainly is not a forgone conclusion that this pick will work out or that it will pay immediate dividends. His physical gifts were more of an advantage in college than they will as a pro, and he was only considered as a first round pick after working out--not for what he accomplished on a basketball court

That's all valid. Again, this was one of the weakest drafts in years and we picked 17. If we can get a rotation guy out of this, then it's a win.

I keep saying, I have watched a lot of GT basketball the past couple of seasons. The most concerning aspect of his game isn't seen by the numbers: he's a poor decision maker.

I would rather TD run the point (yikes!) and Shumpert develop as an offguard.